apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The cost on design shows often bother me that way. If do a project like this yourself, you have to factor in the cost of the paint rollers, brushes, painters tape, drop cloths, etc. - so suddenly a "$40 paint job" becomes a $200 project. Not to mention custom carpentry and power tools like band saws, etc. I saw a show recently where they built a wall with door to make a new bedroom and the "cost" was $175 for drywall!

They are getting MUCH better lately (except for the recent holiday shows... egads), but still the frequent train wreck. Decorating Sense has the same (or better) success rate for half the budget.

Initially I gave it a thumbs up, but upon further thought, alot of their room makeovers do look rather cheap. Also, the issue of the labor and knowledge to do many of the projects makes doing just about 85% of what they do out of the realm of possibility for your average weekend warrior.

It seems like Design on a Dime is geared to folks who are less design-savvy than the typical AT lurker/poster. So, I don't have a lot of patience for this show because: a) I don't learn any new ideas; b) the show is lacking in sex-appeal since I don't consider any of the hosts or crew to be eye-candy or hotties; c) there are no homeowner meltdowns; d) there are no overbearing mean design ladies (I'm talking about you, Ms. Debbie Travis). All in all, I find this show to be about as exciting as a loaf of Wonderbread.

This show is rather forgettable. I get the woman on this show mixed up with someone on another show, but I can't remember which forgettable show that is either. It's one where they are very crafty and make all sorts of tacky looking stuff.

There are far too many design shows on tv to bother watching this one. There is very little innovative design. It feels like your Aunt Marge came by and helped you decorate a room. Also, I can't stand the male host who does half the shows. His specialty is "theme rooms". Enough said.

Hey Enrique, perhaps it's because I'm English, but I find the dear Ms. Travis most affable. But then again, I can't stand the perky likes of Paige Davis on Trading Spaces so maybe I just find Debbie a refreshing change.

Reef

But everyone in St. Paul is so Perky... gosh darn it. Kind of like Garrison Keiler for DIYers

Reef. Don't get me wrong... I (heart) mean design ladies, especially when they have accents! (But for some reason, mean design guys like Doug on TLC work my last nerve.)

Enrique-

I can't stand Doug either. Why does he have his own show? Who likes him?

Reef

This show is just too hit and miss, mostly miss.

I love Doug! He knows he's supposed to be The Bad Guy; its his TV role. He is the Omarosa of design tv.

On second thought, I think Doug and Omarosa should do a show together.

Oh, please...

If you can't take a little falling plaster, you're not cut out for design tv.

Uh ... is THIS Doug ... uh ... THAT Doug?

i prefer design remix.

it's so cool to see them make big changes with furniture and stuff stashed away in the garage. probably a lot of people could do what they do with a splash of paint and the stuff they already have.

Often I've thought they made the place worse by what they did on those show between the before and after. Sure they the after looks somewhat fresher because its new paint and unfaded carpet; I doubt you'll convince me that the 'after' in the picture above won't look somewhat frumpy in five years unlike the somewhat clean and simple already year old and sun exposed before picture.

On HGTV years ago there was another small space show which had a segment where he'd make a craft project often the kind of item you could get at Pier One stores, or equivalent, for under 50 dollars (U.S.). The equipment he used was rarely simple and often cumbersome. It was as though no one responsible for that segment had seen the show where they'd ooh and aah over a small drawer for a single line of socks yet apparently think nothing of having space for a electric sliding compound miter box saw, drill, sander, and other whatsits that would take up much more space.

This show is so-so. I generally prefer what the female designer and her team do over what Lee's team does. Lee tends to do one of my least favorite design show things which is he builds "theme" rooms. I remember this one where the couple mentioned they liked tropical/island style and Lee just went all out with this kitsch-y, tiki-ed out, "hawaiian" theme room complete with these tiki panels he molded... and the other guy on the team actually went and got some ukeleles to put on the wall as "art". Just a mess.... But I have seen the female designer do some nice rooms. Ultimately, however, it's just a decorating show which is inherently hit or miss, and I prefer shows where I learn something about design or building or the like...

I think that the only two shows on HGTV that are really worth watching in terms of the quality of design and realistic representation of the design process are Divine Design and ReDesign. (On occasion, I'll add Debbie Travis' Painted House) All the other shows bug me for the reasons listed above (lack of interesing/innovative ideas, unrealisitic budget and time frame, cheap appearance/poor quality of of outcome, etc). Only occasionally have I seen a moment of coolness on Design on a Dime or Design Remix, but typically I find their projects still lack a solid, cohesive concept that is carried consistently throughout the space. They always appear thrown together and despite all the hours and hours of prep and planning that go into every show, their concepts still seem poorly thought out as a whole.

Oops! I meant Debbie Travis' Facelift. Painted House is incredibly annoying...my bad.

Lee says "no room is complete without art" then he starts nailing and gluing and scraping together whatever leftover junk is in the backyard and makes an "art piece" to complement the decor. And the place ends up looking like Vic's Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

One of my pet peeves on this (and other makeover) show(s) is how they never use ANY of the homeowner's stuff, even when it's good. I've seen them toss out some pieces that (imho) should have been the inspiration to the room.

And they never, EVER use enough fabric for window treatments on DOD.

But I do like all members of the slightly misfit "cast of Scooby Doo meets the cast of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."

Is it just me or is the "before" picture better than the "after"?

It's not just you, Jimbo. In the original, I think the inhabitants needed to rearrange their furniture, display their accessories to better advantage, and maybe pick up the rug colors in some pillows or something (I can't see if there's a sofa)... but there's clearly a personality in the room. The "after" strongly resembles the hotel suites in Sacramento where my college has profs stay when we teach weekends.

And you figure, the inhabitants will have all those bajillion dinky little framed photos back in there within two weeks, so you might as well find a way to make them work with the design, rather than just taking them away.

Well... guys, remember that any one who is on a $1000 budget might be living on a low income to start with so, to them any thing diffrent (tacky)is better than what they started with.

There's no one like Candis Olsen on DIVINE DISIGN!

Back to the basics:

Design on a Dime is show filled with ideas for all of us who have the tools or can borrow them and some skill(s) to re-create them and who can do the "labor." It does a GREAT job of that. If you want to buy your own tools, do it! If you want to hire someone to do the work, do it!

Remember that this team does a lot of conversing with the occupants (not just the minute or so that you see on tv) to find out what they really want to keep, get rid of, etc. Also, getting rid of furniture doesn't mean they put it in the trash.

If the occupants want to pay $1000 for decorating and then change things back, this is their perogative.

Obivously occupants who want to be on the show like the style and designs of the Design on a Dime team. Lighten up! It is their home--not yours. How great to have a team that works on such a low budget and are willing to give of their labor and use their own devices.

For we 'middle class' Americans, this show is packed with useful ideas and decorating sense. It is not intended to be Divine Design (who can afford those services?),

I agree with sap. I myself, a middle-class American, appreciates the show! They do a great job of working with such a small budget. I applause them for going the extra mile with the philosophy, "Less is more". The show has many creative ideas, and I have used a few myself.

Give them a break. The are creative and thrifty at the same time. The show is not intended to mirror Divine Design, which I love to watch and dream about utilizing her services. However, I rationalize with myself, and go for more of the Design on a Dime theory.

Diversified shows for diversified people.

Hey guys, i need your help, PLEASE HELP ME, i bought a house 3 years ago, and i don't know how decorate my house, but also i don't have a lots of money that why i'm sending you this e-mail, because at least i can have your ideas.

Design on a Dime is my FAVORITE show! I am constantly amazed at the gorgeous transformations when this very talented team (Lee, Summer, Charles) work together on making a room like the homeowner wants it. On a scale of 1-10, I'd gladly rate this design team a 10!!

I enjoy watching this show and others like it. I take what I want from it and forget the rest, like anything else. I have gotten some really good ideas that I ended up adapting to my own particular needs from this show. Kristan's voice gets on my nerve at times, but I overlook that as well as some of their ideas (burning the vanity--really?), but let's face it, in this economy decorating can be shoved to the back burner. These shows offer adaptable ideas that can, if used well, create style in whatever your economic circumstances. I will take creative ideas where I can get them have posted a bunch here http://apartmental.blogspot.com/ as well. Many of these ideas are adapted.